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I am interested in photographing some star trails and have read many articles that say that I should use continuous shooting mode instead of Bulb mode. I tried this last night with my RC-6 Canon remote but my Canon 60D would not work.
This may be a stupid question but I was wondering how I can shoot in continuous mode with exposures of approximately 30secs using my Canon 60D and the RC-6?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Did the continuous shooting mode work without the remote, so just by using the shutter button on the camera? \$\endgroup\$
    – Saaru Lindestøkke
    Dec 13, 2013 at 9:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ No it wouldn't work the continuous shooting while doing the long exposures. And because I'm trying to do star trails I dontwant to have to keep pressing the shutter every 30 seconds \$\endgroup\$
    – Madelaine
    Dec 13, 2013 at 10:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes it I just tested it but I have to hold the shutter down which is not ideal for star trails \$\endgroup\$
    – Madelaine
    Dec 13, 2013 at 12:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ Then we have different understanding of what continuous shooting is. Continuous shooting keeps shooting frames while the shutter button is pressed. If you release it the camera stops. Some remote controls can lock the shutter button down, such that you don't have to hold it. I'm not sure if the RC-6 has this lock function though. \$\endgroup\$
    – Saaru Lindestøkke
    Dec 13, 2013 at 13:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ Don't forget that when shooting continuous exposures with a shutter speed 1 second or longer if you don't turn of Long Exposure Noise Reduction then the camera will take a 'dark frame' for the same amount of time between each shot. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Dec 13, 2013 at 18:26

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To the best of my knowledge there is no way to take multiple images with a single press of the button using any of Canon's IR remote shutter releases such as the RC-6. This is because a constant signal from the remote would deplete the battery supplying the energy for the remote very quickly.

On the other hand, almost every wired remote I've ever seen includes the ability to 'lock' the button down. If the camera is set to continuous shooting mode it will take one frame after another until the memory card is full, the sensor overheats, or the battery is exhausted. I would consider getting a wired remote compatible with your 60D, such as this one from Canon or this generic one. Or even one that has a programmable intervalometer. I've used the version of the Neewer with the N3 connector (fits 7D, 5DII, etc) for several years without any issues. I've also used generic versions of the simple one button remotes. Some are built better than others, but the genuine Canon RS60 E3 is only a little over twenty bucks at amazon.

For more on the advantages of a wired vs. wireless remote, see this answer to Can I use a remote shutter / bulb mode on a Canon T4i?

(Re: the Neewer remote. Ignore all the reviews that complain about having to remove the batteries between uses. It is like a digital watch, the batteries last for years unless the timer is set and running to continuously trigger the camera when you store it. If you put a digital watch away with the alarm set to beep constantly the batteries will die quickly also, but if you turn the alarm off the watch will run for years on a single battery. I've replaced the batteries in my Neewer remote once since I bought it over two years ago, and that was fairly recently.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Ok so if I get the wired remote, will I be able to set the camera to say for example 30secs with continuous mode (and not 2sec remote delay mode) and set the wired remote to lock. Will this continuously take 30sec exposures one after the other until I unlock the wired remote? \$\endgroup\$
    – Madelaine
    Dec 13, 2013 at 22:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ You don't have to use self-timer mode with a wired remote. It works exactly like the shutter button on the camera. To take continuous 30 second exposures you set the shutter speed to 30 seconds, the drive mode to continuous, and you press the button on the remote just as if you were pressing the shutter release button on the camera - no difference at all. To lock the remote you slide the button forward while holding it down. It will then stay down without having to constantly press it. Sliding it back allows the button to release when you take your finger off it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Dec 14, 2013 at 3:50
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    \$\begingroup\$ So I just brought the incorrect remote pretty much. Thankyou so much :) great help! \$\endgroup\$
    – Madelaine
    Dec 15, 2013 at 7:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ I know the 70D is new, but when Magic Lantern comes out for it, they usually have an ability to setup continuous shooting, otherwise commonly referred to as an intervalometer. You set the number of shots you want and any or no delay in between shots and the camera will fire away. \$\endgroup\$
    – Dmitriy David Khaykin
    Dec 31, 2013 at 2:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ @DavidKhaykin Can the ML internal intervalometer be activated by an input from an IR remote, such as the RC-6, which requires the camera to be in 'self-timer' mode? \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Dec 31, 2013 at 2:34

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